Some schools experimenting with single-sex classrooms

November 13, 2006|ADAM JACKSON Tribune Staff Writer

EDWARDSBURG -- In the kindergarten area of Edwardsburg Primary School, it is possible to stand with one's feet 12 inches apart -- and be straddling a line that has divided mankind since the dawn of time. On one side of the line, tots work quietly in small groups of three or four, helping each other complete small tasks and engaging in gentle play. On the other, children chat gregariously, pursuing concrete goals and moving around the classroom as they seek answers from their smiling instructor. The line is the one between males and females, and it is one some believe can change for the better the way children learn and develop at school. The gender-specific kindergarten classes at Edwardsburg are part of that district's pilot program to study the impact of single-sex classrooms at different grade levels. Kicked off earlier this year, the classes are already so popular that a waiting list is needed to cope with the demand, Principal Debora Crouch says. "Ever since we announced this at kindergarten roundup, there have been a lot of people asking about it," she said. "And, so far, we haven't had any complaints." When working with district administrators to determine whether to begin the program, Crouch said, officials focused on one question: Is this good for the kids? And after sending teachers to seminars, reading books devoted to the issue, and consulting with other districts implementing the program, the answer, she said, was yes. With one caveat, that is. "If you are going to jump into this swimming pool, you have to match the teachers to the classrooms," Crouch said. "And that doesn't mean just finding a man to teach the boys and a woman to teach the girls -- some men work better with girls and vice versa." At Edwardsburg Primary, the teacher of the girls class is Betsy Moyer, who is in her 11th year with the district. As her young charges converse softly and attend to their tasks at several workstations set up throughout the classroom, she reflected on the single-gender system and how it has affected her teaching style. "The great thing is how you can focus your approach on the students," she said. "They are all on the same wavelength. "That is a lot different than in a traditional classroom, where you have to find something that works well for both boys and girls," Moyer said. So far, she said, the setup seems to be working nicely. Compared to a traditional classroom, Moyer said, she feels her students have progressed more quickly in their studies and are displaying a greater level of understanding for the subjects covered. But she said she knows that in the constantly evolving field of education, constant study by instructors is the key to making any method work. "There are so many things out there that work for boys or for girls," Moyer said. "You have to keep reading; keep trying new things." The strategy of single-gender classrooms is less of a "divide and conquer" one, and more a "divide and nurture" philosophy. In the book "Boys and Girls Learn Differently," by Michael Gurian, the author hypothesizes that boys and girls are separated by more than just anatomy. Rather, he states, their neurological makeup differs greatly, which means the methods by which they absorb and process information is also vastly different. Among other examples, Gurian writes that males tend to be right-brain dominant, which translates to better spatial reasoning skills, whereas females generally favor left-brain thinking, enhancing listening, communication and language skills. Using that information, teachers focusing on a single gender can tailor their teaching methods accordingly, with the ultimate goal of helping all students to learn more effectively. In an era when schools are under increasing pressure to improve student performance, it is a theory which many districts are willing to try, and Edwardsburg is not the only district testing the waters of single-gender study. At Schmucker Middle School, in the Penn-Harris-Madison school district, Principal Elaine Holmes said more than 10 teachers are undertaking a book study of Gurian's "The Minds of Boys" to compile background information on the concept. Holmes said that the concept is still in the idea stage at her school, but she feels it has special relevancy at the middle school level, where boys and girls are grappling with changing minds and bodies. "I think the most important thing is to make this a choice for parents and students," she said. "This would not be a move to a system where all the classrooms are divided by sex. "But I do think there is a good possibility that we will test this," Holmes said. Other districts are exploring the issue from a different perspective. Dianne Greaves, the assistant superintendent of school management for the South Bend Community School Corp., said her district is not currently looking at implementing a single-gender classroom program. However, two schools within the district, Dickinson Intermediate Center and Wilson Primary Center, are dividing boys and girls during another important component of the school day -- recess. "We've found that it helps cut down in conflicts during that part of the day," she said. "No one is getting upset about girlfriends or boyfriends -- they can concentrate on just enjoying recess." Certainly, the idea of dividing the genders at school is a concept that is getting a lot of discussion these days. But does it work? For Stacey Tighe, the proof is in the parenting. As the mother of 5-year-old Jarrett, one of the students in the boys class at Edwardsburg Primary, and a regular volunteer in his classroom, she has an unparalleled view of the benefits of single-gender learning. "It has been wonderful," she said. "He loves it! Even if he has to leave, like for a doctor's appointment, he is always asking me when he'll be able to go back to class. "And that is something special," Tighe said. While she admits that the concept of 24 boys in a kindergarten classroom might seem like a nightmare on paper, in practice, the setup provides a degree of freedom she believes is lacking in traditional classroom setups. For example, the boys in Jarrett's class are free to stand and move during their lessons, allowing them to burn off energy and focus more consistently on their lessons, rather than trying to stay still. And by using learning "stations" where the boys regularly progress from one activity to another, Tighe says the method gives the youngsters an opportunity to learn without becoming bogged down in a single task. But perhaps the best endorsement the young mother can give is this: If she had it to do all over again, she would. And probably will, considering that her 2-year-old daughter, Jenilee, will likely also be enrolled at Edwardsburg. "I will definitely try to get her into the program," Tighe said. "Because it works." Staff writer Adam Jacksonajackson@sbtinfo.com(574) 936-1029